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AUSTRALIA-SHARK-ANIMAL LEAD
Australia kills four sharks after tourist attacks
SYDNEY, Sept 23, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Fourth large sharks have been killed in
Australia after a woman and a 12-year-old girl were attacked at a popular
Great Barrier Reef tourist spot.
Both were still in hospital Sunday after being mauled in separate
incidents just a day apart last week at the Whitsunday Islands.
Drum lines, which use baited hooks to catch the predators, ensnared four
tiger sharks, one 3.7 metres (12 feet) long and the others each between two
to three metres, a Fisheries Queensland spokesman said Sunday.
“While sharks of this size are potentially very dangerous to humans, it is
unclear if they were responsible for injuries caused to two swimmers,” he
said.
The latest shark to be caught “has been humanely euthanised and will be
taken further out to sea for disposal.”
The spokesman said it was clear “there are a significant number of active
sharks in local waters and people are urged not to swim”.
The drumlines were to remain in place over the next week.
Shark attacks are very rare in the Whitsundays — a collection of
spectacular tropical islands at the heart of the Barrier Reef — with the
last encounter reported to be eight years ago, according to national
broadcaster ABC.
The attacks have revived debate about how best to reduce the risk of
encounters between sharks and the growing number of people using the ocean
for leisure.
Many conservationists and marine scientists object to killing sharks, and
insist that drum lines are a blunt instrument because they often catch other
creatures.
New South Wales, the country’s most populous state, has trialled non-
lethal measures such as aerial drones to track sharks’ movements and “smart”
drum lines that alert authorities to their presence.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1500 hrs